PREFACE 



A large organization under pressure is much "like a person. 

 Often personal crises trigger a much-needed self-evaluation. A 

 traumatic experience may alter future direction significantly. 

 Frequently an outsider — a minister, an acquaintance, or even 

 a stranger — can provide insight and perspective on the prob- 

 lem not available from those immediately concerned. 



The Forest Service has experienced just such a crisis in re- 

 cent years. Prompted by public criticism, the agency has 

 taken a hard look at where it has been and has attempted to 

 determine the proper direction for the future. Agency per- 

 sonnel have investigated problem areas, such as those in 

 Montana and Wyoming. For the agency, as for the individual, 

 however, often it is helpful to get an outside view, from the 

 perspective of someone not closely connected with the 

 agency or its activities, and unaffected by preconceived ideas 

 about Forest Service goals. 



Because the study of economics is concerned with many 

 aspects of choice and decisionmaking, the Intermountain Sta- 

 tion turned to this field for assistance. Economists have only 

 recently concerned themselves with the actual process of goal 

 formulation. Many economists have returned to the original 

 foundations of their field and have come to emphasize what 

 is called "political economics," showing greater concern for 

 the interrelationships between the sociopolitical environment 

 and the actual goal formulation process. Not only can the 

 economist serve in technical situations of choice among alter- 

 natives, but he can play an important role in gleaning out of 

 seemingly imprecise and vague directions a decisionmaking 

 framework that will enhance the probability of achieving 

 such goals. 



The study shows the economic orientation of the author, 

 but was written primarily with the professional land manager 

 and the interested public in mind. It is hoped that the con- 

 clusions reached will be useful in future planning. 



iii 



